Metallica - Death Magnetic most progressive album?

Well, I have to go against the grain of the haters in the thread (have you guys listened to the full album, or just the tunes they released?).

I am, surprisingly, enjoying this album a LOT. I never thought I would see myself saying that about a Metallica album any more. Besides the snare being too loud and the snare/toms sounding overdriven as hell, the songwriting on the album is quite awesome and they're back to adding little things here and there within their songs, yet keeping them a "song" unlike St. Anger's mess. As far as "progressive" - if you keep its definition within Metallica's own little world, yeah they're doing some very cool stuff. I especially enjoyed their harmony riffs that I've missed for a while now.

Been a fan since Kill em All, liked everything through Black.

Still listening...
 
AJFA is the most progressive Metallica album. I wonder how long it took for them to realize that their old fans hated their new sound. Not that Death Magnetic is a return to their old sound, because it's not. There are some thrash riffs thrown in here and there though. My roommate, who doesn't know much about metal, says that Death Magnetic sounds like a thrash album to him. hahaha In addition to old Metallica, he really likes Slayer, Anthrax, and Megadeth, so you think he'd know better.
 
Well, I have to go against the grain of the haters in the thread (have you guys listened to the full album, or just the tunes they released?).

I am, surprisingly, enjoying this album a LOT. I never thought I would see myself saying that about a Metallica album any more. Besides the snare being too loud and the snare/toms sounding overdriven as hell, the songwriting on the album is quite awesome and they're back to adding little things here and there within their songs, yet keeping them a "song" unlike St. Anger's mess. As far as "progressive" - if you keep its definition within Metallica's own little world, yeah they're doing some very cool stuff. I especially enjoyed their harmony riffs that I've missed for a while now.

Been a fan since Kill em All, liked everything through Black.

Still listening...

The music itself isn't bad at all. It's mostly just the vocals (and lyrics that accompany it) that really bother me. The drum sound bothers me a little bit as well but it's not one of the more prominent problems with the album.
 
I dont think its very progressive if we are going to compare it to other bands/albums that fit into that category.

I dont think its progressive at all for Metallica in terms of moving forward and exploring new ground. If anything it is their most regressive album rehashing alot of old formlas from RTL, MOP, AJFA and also the Load albums. Sure they never really put it together like tat before but there is nothing new to the riffs. Its all stuff that Metallica has done before.

With that being said I enjoy the album.

I don't think that "progressive" implies "moving forward" and "exploring new ground" ... at least not for me. It may have been what coined the phrase in the 70s, but it also became a label for a certain style. For example, if a band's style reminds me of Dream Theater then I'd be inclined to call it Prog Metal, even if it's not particularly inventive.

But even if I use your definition ... I could call Death Magnetic prog at least to some extent, because although they're using elements/styles from their previous albums, they've never done anything which is - in style - that close to fully fledged prog metal albums.
 
yeah we all know that. the real point is that it sucks even if you call it progressive. like it's sucky progressive
 
I like it. I didn't expect them to return to their former style ... I don't think that it would have been possible for them to record a second MoP or AJFA, and I'm glad they didn't try.
 
repeating a formula is not the same as returning to their old style. and they absolutely did try and they failed
 
I don't think that "progressive" implies "moving forward" and "exploring new ground" ... at least not for me. It may have been what coined the phrase in the 70s, but it also became a label for a certain style. For example, if a band's style reminds me of Dream Theater then I'd be inclined to call it Prog Metal, even if it's not particularly inventive.

But even if I use your definition ... I could call Death Magnetic prog at least to some extent, because although they're using elements/styles from their previous albums, they've never done anything which is - in style - that close to fully fledged prog metal albums.

Thats why I made two comparisons. One was comparing it with other music labeled as "progressive". Hence the kind of music that is called progressive as a genre.

The second was what the word probably meant in the first place which is "moving beyond what has been done before" and such.

Either way its not progressive. Sure they havent done the exact same things before but no band has if they dont re-record an old album. Its basic 'tallica stuff.
 
I'm enjoying the album as a whole. I've always despised Hetfield and Ulrich on nearly every Metallica album, but I'm liking Death Magnetic quite a bit. Some of the riffs remind me of a System of a Down, which is (for me) a good thing, and there's a lot of throwback elements (like guitar solos! OMG GASP)
 
I agree that it's their most prog album. I think the album is "groove metal." A thrashy bit or two thrown in there with a slow sludgey heavy metal sound, sound like groove metal to me. Fantastic album. Never having been a big fan of Justice, I think Death Magnetic will surpass it on my favorites list.
 
Can someone please explain to me why a lot of people are comparing this album to Justice, or any of their old works for that matter?? :loco:

This album is more similar to a heavier Load/Reload.